


A little bit of love

by SilentRain91



Category: Teenage Bounty Hunters (TV)
Genre: Camp, F/F, First Crush, Fluff, Gift Exchange, Gift Fic, Sharing a Bed, Stargazing, valentines gift exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29399157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentRain91/pseuds/SilentRain91
Summary: Prompts I was able to choose from for the Valentines gift exchange: stargazing, bed-sharing, or April pining after Sterling.So naturally, I bundled all three instead :-)
Relationships: April Stevens/Sterling Wesley
Comments: 11
Kudos: 57





	A little bit of love

**Author's Note:**

> Gift for Jimalim. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.

“This won’t fit in that tent.”

Sterling blinked, eyes bright and full of wonder. “Um,” she said, tugging at a corner of the mattress. “I guess not,” she admitted, shrugging a shoulder. “But it’s hot outside, so maybe we don’t need a tent.”

“W-We?” April choked. “You expect me to sleep with you? With your mattress?” she spluttered, eyes round, as though it wasn’t bad enough Ellen made her split a tent with her enemy after Blair conveniently forgot to get her permission slip signed. “You want us to…to…”

Camping out in the woods wasn’t April’s idea of a weekend well spent, but she hoped her grand effort would look impressive on her college application. And there were worse things than being in close proximity to the girl she hadn’t stopped thinking about since the fifth grade. Not that any of her thoughts or feelings mattered, considering Sterling stopped caring about April a long time ago.

But it was fine. Whatever. “You…,” April cleared her throat, straightened her spine, and crossed her arms. “You expect me to sleep on that dingy flea-infested mattress with you?”

Sterling let out a deep sigh. “You don’t have to,” she began, and the lack of energy in her response made April regret the harshness of hers.

That mattress looked clean and the cover had a distinctive laundry detergent scent. April’s comment was unfair, but so was the fact Sterling gave her away in fifth grade. They were best friends and losing such a special once in a lifetime connection broke April’s heart.

“Fine,” April grumbled, dropping her arms to her side. “If you insist.”

Sterling’s eyebrows creased together. “That’s not…I…” She rubbed her forehead with the palm of her right hand. “Can you give me a hand with this?” she asked, nodding her head at her mattress.

April grabbed the other corner. “On three,” she decided. “One,” she uttered, lifting it a bit closer to the edge of the truck. “Two…three.

April heaved the mattress out of the back of the vehicle with a grunt. She heard Sterling whisper something on her right, but she couldn’t understand what she said, and since her hands were full it was irrelevant. While they moved deeper into the woods, April shuddered at the thought of putting the mattress down on top of leaves and dirt, and how small it was for two people.

“You’re really strong,” Sterling commented after they placed her mattress down.

“Thanks,” April responded, flexing her arms. “I work out,” she stated with a proud smile.

“I can tell,” Sterling nodded.

Heat bloomed underneath April’s cheeks when she caught Sterling visibly staring at her arms before drinking in the rest of her body. For the sake of her unrequited feelings, however, April decided to act as though she didn’t.

April helped set up the rest of their space with a carry on lantern that worked on batteries and a whistle in case of a bear attack. 

And pillows for extra comfort, which could suffice as a border if need be, considering they weren’t using a tent.

“Howdy, campers!” Ellen called out through a megaphone. “It’s time to gather ‘round the fire and bless the Lord for our food!”

“After you,” April uttered in a moment of weakness. “I forgot my jacket,” she added quickly and untruthfully, though she preferred living with the lie over chivalry toward her enemy.

Sterling paused and worked her jaw, but then her shoulders dropped, and whatever rebuttal she had in mind disappeared along with her. April’s lie couldn’t have been more obvious when she realized the sweat stuck to her shirt.

With a sinking pit in her stomach, a different shirt, and a jacket tied around her waist, April joined the other campers. Unfortunately, thanks to her small panic, she arrived last and the only spot left to sit was on a log right next to Sterling. 

April went through the motions of eating her lukewarm dinner, not registering much else other than Sterling smacking her lips after every bite. The noise would have annoyed April if it wasn’t somehow endearing. It was fine, really. Until Ellen revealed marshmallows, and Sterling decided devouring those warranted a moan…for every…single…bite.

“Jesus Christ,” April mumbled under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose while she tried to regain her bearings.

She would never take the Lord’s name in vain lightly, but, God, Sterling always had to make things _so_ hard. April wished she could move on, though the more she pushed to detach herself, the deeper she fell into the rabbit hole.

April grabbed a marshmallow and pierced it with a stick. She held it above the fire while she willed her mind to concentrate on her surroundings, such as the wind rustling through the trees and the warm glow of the fire.

“I heard you have a crush,” Lorna grinned. “So, tell us about him,” she prompted, nudging Sterling’s side.

“Tell us,” another girl chimed in. “What’s he like?”

“Um…,” Sterling began, shifting on top of the log. “Smart, like, no doubt could get a full ride to Harvard smart,” she shared with a smile that made April ache, knowing it would never be directed at her. “And…,” Sterling sighed softly.

“What about his body?” someone questioned with a wink so sinful a single prayer wouldn’t suffice to seek forgiveness.

“Abs for days,” Sterling answered, fanning herself with her hand. “And, Lord have mercy, eyes to drown in.”

April pulled her stick out of the fire, tossed her burned marshmallow aside, and stomped off in the opposite direction. Too much sweetness was bad for her teeth anyway and she wasn’t in a ‘singing songs’ around the campfire kind of mood.

The sky had darkened by now and April realized she forgot to bring a flashlight. After about half a mile, give or take, she stumbled against a tree. A deep sigh was inches away from leaving her lips when the tree she collided with moved, turning the sound that left her mouth into a shriek.

“I noticed you leaving,” came Sterling’s voice.

Sterling? April collided with Sterling Wesley? Wasn’t she supposed to be around the campfire, sharing tales of Luke 2.0? If Sterling was here, then it meant she paid attention to April and cared enough to check on her.

April mentally shook herself. It had to be Ellen, instructing Sterling to stick with her campmate. That was the only explanation that made sense. Ellen had been trying to restore their friendship lately, though April felt confused as to why it mattered if they got along or not.

April glared when Sterling flicked on a flashlight and shone it right at her. “Why are you following me?” April grumbled under her breath, swatting at Sterling’s hand to get that thing away from her before she saw spots everywhere.

Sterling lowered her hand. “It’s dark and you looked upset,” she answered, which wasn’t what April expected.

“I’m not upset,” April huffed.

“You sound kind of upset though,” Sterling insisted, “and I know that I’m probably the last person you want to talk to, but if you change your mind, I’m here.”

April pressed her lips together while she tried to think of a reaction, only to come up empty. Sterling was nothing but kind to her since they arrived, despite April’s less than desirable behavior, and she had no idea what to think. Perhaps it was all an elaborate prank, brought on by bored teenagers.

April remained silent, even as the night fell. She climbed on top of the mattress, quietly praying to find sleep soon instead of being distracted by Sterling right next to her. The odds of success, however, were zero when Sterling’s arm brushed against hers.

Sterling shuddered and hugged her arms around herself. April was about to ignore Sterling’s obvious disgust of her when Sterling mumbled it was chilly.

The temperature had dropped a few degrees, although April wouldn’t describe it as cold at all. Nonetheless, she grabbed her blanket and wrapped it around Sterling.

Sterling’s lips curled up in a slight smile. “Thank you,” she whispered, burrowing her face into April’s blanket.

April bit her lip at the sight. “Better?” she managed to ask, swallowing down an aggravated comment she wouldn’t mean anyway.

She wanted Sterling to be cozy and warm, to feel loved. Part of April wanted Sterling to know she cared. She wanted to hold Sterling in her arms and caress her cheek until she fell soundly asleep. If only Sterling would notice her the way April hoped she would.

“Much,” Sterling responded, shuffling closer. “But I don’t want you to be cold.”

“I’m-” April went to answer until every bit of air left her lungs.

Sterling ran her hand up and down April’s arm, doing nothing to minimize the goosebumps there. April exhaled at the touch. Her mind told her to stop this, but she couldn’t find the words to tell Sterling to back off.

“That’s Cassiopeia,” Sterling declared, pointing up at the stars.

April followed the line of Sterling’s finger. “Really?” April replied, squinting her eyes at the scribbled dots, in no particular alignment.

“I have no idea,” Sterling answered, sighing out a smile. “But…it could be.”

“Dork,” April mumbled, rolling her eyes despite her smile.

“See that star up there? The one that twinkles the brightest.”

“Mhmm,” April hummed.

“It reminds me of your eyes.”

This was one of those moments where April felt her heart lurch to be closer to Sterling. And apparently, her heart wasn’t the only one.

Sterling gasped as April’s lips pressed a kiss to her cheek.

April rolled away, eyes round. “Sterl, I,” she started while her blood rushed to her head. “It’s not what you think,” she said, sitting up.

Sterling sat up as well, but instead of getting angry or expressing horror, she smiled.

“I have a confession to make,” Sterling whispered, chewing her lip. “I’m the reason we’re out here. I paid Blair twenty bucks to hide her permission slip so we could talk and maybe become friends again.”

“If twenty bucks is all it takes for you to have a conversation with me, I would have paid your sister years ago,” April blurted out without thinking.

April meant to say something sounding bitter, but hearing Sterling opening up shattered her defense. It made April sound almost laughable, as though it was a joke they could tell for years to come.

“Wait,” April uttered while a frown settled on her face. “Why?”

Why on God’s green earth would Sterling want to be friends with someone she deliberately gave away?

“I miss you,” Sterling sighed. “We used to be close,” she whispered, reaching for April’s hand. “And also…,” Sterling added, “this is why.”

Sterling twisted her fingers in the fabric of April’s shirt and tugged. April’s lips melted against Sterling’s, fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle. The stars in the sky couldn’t compare to the stars Sterling made her see when their kiss deepened. April tangled her hands gently in Sterling’s hair, holding her as close as she possibly could, not wanting this moment between them to end.

“G-good answer,” April uttered, running her tongue across her upper lip. 

“I kind of totally have a crush on you,” Sterling breathed out right before kissing April again. “And,” Sterling whispered, resting her forehead against April’s, “I was wondering if you want to be my girlfriend.”

“Only if you’ll be mine first.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's y'all!


End file.
